Phonograph amusement device



1950 H. VlTARELLl 2,518,206

PHONOGRAPH AMUSEMENT DEVI4CE Filed June 17, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I IVH I.

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I IN VEN TOR. /7 /V/P V M/Pau Patented Aug. 8, 1950 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE PHONOGRAPH AMUSEMENT DEVICE Henry Vitarelli, Bronx, N. Y., assignor to Covrall Industries, Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York 3 Claims.

My present invention relates to a phonograph and amusement device, and more particularly to a to piano-phonograph having a record playing device and-turn table and mechanisms whereby the keys of the piano are actuated in a random manner to simulate the playing of a piano.

In the device of my invention the motor for driving the record turntable is mounted in a toy pianoease, preferably of the shape of a grand piano. The turntable is mounted above the keys on a spindle which extends downwardly into the body of the case.

The case is provided with a line of keys, simulating piano keys, pivoted on a horizontal pivot so that they may be tilted in the manner of keys being played. Within the case in a position to tilt the keys is a cam shaft having cams, one for each key, positioned to actuate the keys in a random manner. The cam shaft is driven from the spindle of the turntable by suitable belt and pulley drive.

The various features of the invention are illustrated, by wa of example, in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of the device, a part of the case and turntable being broken away to show the position of the driving motor;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the device;

Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical sections on the lines 3-3 and 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the cam shaft.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, a toy piano case is provided with a vertical rotatable spindle ll mounted in suitable bearings l2 in the cover 13 of the case.

The spindle projects above the cover and carries I a record-holding turntable [4.

Within the case is also mounted a motor I 5 having a shaft I5 projecting upwardly through the cover [3 and carrying a driving pulley 11, Fig. 1, to engage and drive the turntable. A switch l8 may be provided at the front of the piano case to control the operation of the motor.

The piano may be provided with legs [9, if desired.

At the front of the case is a keyboard comprising a number of keys, 2!], pivoted on a rod 2|, Fig. 4, and projecting beneath the front wall 22 of the case.

The keyboard may consist entirely of white keys or of white and black keys, or may be provided with white keys having black keys indicated by painting same thereon at suitable intervals.

The keys 29 are independently pivoted on the rod 2| and are normally so balanced or weighted that they remain in a horizontal position. Each ke may be tilted downwardly by an individual cam, 23, as indicated in Fig. 4, mounted on a cam shaft 2d back of the front wall or cover board 22.

The cams 23 are mounted at spaced intervals corresponding to the spacing of the keys 20 and have projections which lift the inner part of the respective keys once for each rotation of the shaft 24. The keys may be cut away as at 25 to provide a space for the cam shaft and cams.

The cam shaft 26 is also provided with a pulley 26 rigidly fixed thereon in position to be driven through a belt 2'! from a pulley 23 fixed on the spindle H. As the turntable and spindle are rotated they drive the cam shaft 24 through the transmission Z6-28 and with each rotation of the cam shaft each of the keys is given one tilt, the cams being so arranged however that the tilting is of a random nature to simulate the movement of keys in the playing of a piano.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A phonograph amusement device which comprises a piano case, a keyboard having a line of keys projecting from said case and pivoted on a horizontal pivot, a rotatable spindle projecting upwardly through the top of said piano case, a record turntable mounted on said spindle above said case, a driving motor for rotating said turntable and spindle, a cam shaft within said case having cams acting on said keys to tilt them downwardly at random intervals and a transmission from said spindle to said cam shaft.

2. The device of claim 1 in which said transmission comprises a pulley on said spindle, a pulley on said cam shaft and a driving belt between said pulleys.

3. The device of claim 1 in which said keys are undercut within said case and in which said cam shaft and cams are mounted below said undercut portion of said keys.

HENRY VITARELLI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Brown Dec. 29, 1936 

